Google didn't cooperate with OWT - and so they struck back in their 2007 accountability report. They even managed to give a completely false assessment on Google [pdf] "based on publicly available information." I am not going to consider OWT a good resource after this, and you probably shouldn't either.

Gross Inaccuracy #1

"Based on publicly available information, Google does not make any commitments to operating in an open and transparent manner."

Uhm - what about all of Google's blogs and highly informational press releases? Or are they just faking all that public transparency?

Gross Inaccuracy #2

"Google is one of only three organisations out of the 30 assessed organisations in the 2007 Report not to have a general 'contact us' function on its website. The company provides a postal address and phone number, but no general mechanism is available that enables external stakeholders to contact the company with general queries."

Need I say more?

Gross Inaccuracy #3

"Based on publicly available information, Google does not make any commitments to evaluate its environmental or social impact, nor does it have any management systems to support or oversee such evaluations."

What about the REC initiative to research greener more efficient alternatives to coal, and getting green PCs into government, and their solar-panel-clad headquarters, and all that other stuff?

Lesson Learned

So what is the lesson in all this? Don't believe everything you read! Even "objective third-party assessments" are subject to childish behavior.